www.odogwublog.com reports that eight
out of the nine Judaism adherents arrested while praying at the
Afaraukwu Umuahia country home of the Leader of the Indigenous Peoples
of Biafra ( IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, were Monday granted bail by Umuahia High
Court. This development is a cheering news to members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The
worshipers who were arrested by the police on Sunday May 13, had been
remanded in the Afara federal prison after their arraignment at the
Magistrate Court on May 14 where they were charged for terrorism.

Chief
Magistrate, O. U Ugwu, had ordered that the accused be remanded in
prison custody pending their arraignment in High Court as the magistrate
court lacked jurisdiction over their matter.

He
had however , chided the police for arraigning the accused before a
magistrate court although they knew it had no jurisdiction to entertain
such a matter, describing it as a deliberate ploy to keep them in
perpetual detention.

Meanwhile,
six of the accused were arraigned at the High Court 1 presided over by
the Acting Chief Judge of the state, Justice Onuoha Ogwe who granted
them bail in the sum of N1 million each.

The
other three were arraigned in High Court 3 presided over by Justice O. A
Chijioke who granted two of them bail in the sum of N200,000 each,
adding that their surety must have verifiable residence and should also
deposit two copies of his recent photographs with the court.

One
of the accused was however not granted bail as his file was alleged to
have " gone missing", but their lawyer, Alloy Ejimakor, said he was
going to stay behind and fight harder to also secure his bail.

Addressing
newsmen later, Ejimakor expressed joy that after nearly a month of
incarceration, the worshipers were able to get justice at last.

He
thanked the courts for their wisdom in granting them bail although he
expressed concern that the bail conditions by the Court 1 were somewhat
stringent unlike that of the Court 3.

Ejimakor vowed to initiate 'fait inquiry' to know why the file of one of the accused suddenly went missing.

He
insisted that the accused were not terrorists contrary to claims by
police, hence the decision of the court to grant them bail " because
the prosecution was not able to demonstrate proof of evidence".

The
defense counsel also faulted the charge preferred against the accused
saying it is defective and vague", and vowed to challenge the Abia State
anti- terrorism law.

Ejimakor
described the trial as religious persecution against the accused "
simply because they are of Judaism that is not among the two dominant
religions in Nigeria.

He
wondered how ordinary civilians in flowing white gown and praising
Yahweh could be said to be engaging in threatening behaviour capable of
frightening the police.

The
lawyer regretted that anybody who seems to be identifying with IPOB
Leader, Kanu has become a target of the security operatives.

He
vowed to challenge the action of the security agencies against the
religious rights of Judaism adherents and other freedom fighters both "
nationally and internationally".